Ebac unveil first look at washing machine venture

Ebac is embarking on a £7m venture to make hundreds of thousands of machines and become the only British-based maker of the everyday kitchen appliance.

Bosses have unveiled a very early example of one of its washers, with full production expected to officially start next year.

The family-run firm, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, hopes to make up to 200,000 machines every year, creating about 100 jobs.

The UK imports about four million washers a year, with the sector barren after Indesit previously returned production of Hotpoint machines to Italy, though it still makes tumble-dryers in the UK.

However, Pamela Petty, Ebac’s managing director, said the company, which already makes dehumidifiers, heat pumps and water coolers, was ready to fly the flag for UK manufacturing after months of buying and installing washing machine production equipment.

She said the washer unveiled today was a template of its future products, adding the firm was stringently testing a raft of machines.

However, Mrs Petty added the company, which also started making Norfrost chest freezers earlier this year, had a lot of work to do before its washers would appear on sale.

She said: “All of the equipment is now in and commissioned, so we’ve proved we can get everything we need to make washing machines and assemble it.

“But we’ve got a lot of sample machines that we are working on to carry out various tests, and there are still a lot of miles to go before they are released for sale.

“We’ve done a lot of testing, but there’s a lot more to do, and we are now focused on the programme development side.

“We are looking to have a number of machines and they will all have different control panels and settings, so the bulk of work is now on getting that right and getting the right balance for every customer.

“It’s all about gathering information to get the right understanding of the market and what people want, while also doing checks, which will continue as we go on selling washers.”

Mrs Petty said that focus includes looking at unique, personalised washers, with its website showing potential designs for machines, including one with red and white spots and another sporting the Union Jack.

She added: “I’d love people to tell us our washers have revolutionised their washing experience, but in reality it is still a chore.

“But we want it to last and be part of people’s lives and give them choice and flexibility on the machines they use so they can configure it to fit their changing family dynamics.

“The big boys are making millions of machines every year in their factories and we are starting with a clean slate.

“That means we can do things that they can’t and we are looking at the pockets of niches, such as more personalised machines, for our attack.

“We’re not aiming to tackle the big brands and don’t have plans to do a million machines a year, but there are areas we know we can target.”

Mrs Petty previously appeared alongside former CBI director general Lord Digby Jones on BBC Two show, Digby Jones: The New Troubleshooter, who followed the firm’s freezer project.

She said the interest in UK-made goods that show generated proved Ebac’s washing machine focus was a correct avenue to take.

But she said it had to do more than simply rely on people’s desire for homemade goods to be successful.

She added: “It means a lot to be known as the company bringing washing machines back to the UK, but we’re not resting on our laurels and won’t be playing the UK card.

“We can stand up against the other manufacturers, the market is very competitive, but we are confident we can do well.

“What has also been good in this process is the understanding we’ve had from people.

“They recognise that if we are making the things that we use here, it’s benefiting everyone.

“It puts people in jobs and boosts the economy because there is a bit more money sloshing around.

“There is no glaring reason why we can't make and sell washing machines profitably in the UK.”